by Rev. Ehara Yukiko, Kyodan missionary
In May 2019, I arrived in Pirapo, a southern city in Paraguay, South America, to become a full-time pastor of the “Pirapo Free Methodist Church,” also known as the “Sakai Keishi Memorial Free Methodist Church.”
The church had virtually been vacant for forty years until 2015, when the Kyodan sent missionary, Rev. Chibana Sugako, as a full-time pastor. Her encounter with the church was dramatic: she met one of the congregants from the church, nothing to attribute this to other than a plan of God. Within the next four years, she purchased a piece of land and built a new church building there. I am her successor and was installed as the new, full-time pastor. On June 23rd, a new church building was dedicated with thirty-five Christians attending as witnesses from all over Paraguay and Brazil. The settlement of Japanese immigrants in Pirapo began on August 2nd, 1960. Mr. Sakai Kotaro, a Christian employee of an NGO named JICA, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, along with his wife planted a church in Pirapo and started Sunday worship services.
Rev. Tsukamoto Minoru visited from Encarnacion Free Methodist Church to lead monthly worship services at Pirapo Church. Rev. Tsukamoto served many years in Paraguay, baptizing many Japanese immigrants. At one time, nearly twenty people attended at Pirapo Church. Rev. Tsukamoto eventually left in the mid 80’s, and then pastors from various denominations ministered to the church. In the 90’s JICA withdrew from Paraguay. The church land had belonged to JICA, and the ownership was transferred from JICA to the city of Piparo. The church was first allowed to use the building, but in the end, had to leave. They borrowed another building, formerly a dormitory for an elementary school in the 23KM district, as their new church building. When Rev. Chibana first met them, there were only a few congregants. They were gathering on Sundays to listen to tapes of recorded sermons.
Currently we have five congregants attending the Sunday services. The small change in the population of Pirapo allows little renovation. Inviting residents to church is never easy if they have known each other for so many years. Many communal events also fall on Sundays. Congregants as communal members usually attend such events and miss out on Sunday services.
Among the three Japanese Free Methodist churches in Paraguay, the church in Asuncion, which is in the capital of Paraguay, has been preparing to incorporate these three churches as affiliates of the Brazil Free Methodist Church organization. The Pirapo Church is reluctant to become an affiliate. Instead, they are on the verge of taking a new step toward independence. The process of becoming an institutionalized as a religious corporation will be another challenge.
Yguazu is another city founded by Japanese immigrants with a small Christian population. Once they met for worship at a Christian family’s home, but the family returned to Japan, and they had not been able to meet since then. I visited them in September, and we held a worship service there. Riding a bus from Pirapo to Yguazu for over three hours, I finally arrived around noon. We had lunch together, followed by a worship service. We enjoyed our fellowship and tea. I stayed overnight, and we had dinner together. We hope to meet regularly for monthly worship services. For Christmas and Easter, they will be invited to Pirapo Church for a joint worship service with communion. Please keep the Pirapo Church in your prayers.(Tr. DB)
2019年5月に、パラグアイのピラポ移住地のピラポ自由メソジスト教会に赴任しました。2015年に知花スガ子宣教師が神様のお導きによってこの教会の信徒と劇的な出会いをされ、40年間ほぼ無牧だった教会に常駐の牧師として遣わされました。知花牧師は4年の間に土地を購入して新会堂を建築されました。私はその後任として着任し、6月23日にパラグアイ各地とブラジルからの参列者35人を与えられて、喜びの献堂式を執り行いました。
ピラポ移住地は1960年8月2日から入植が始まり、別の移住地から移ってきたJICA職員でキリスト教徒の酒井夫妻が教会を建てて礼拝を始めました。自由メソジスト教団からエンカルナシオン教会に派遣された塚本登牧師が、ピラポ教会で毎月礼拝を献げるようになりました。塚本牧師は長くパラグアイにいて多くの日本人移住者を授洗し、最盛期にはピラポ教会に20人近い信徒がいたそうです。1980年代半ばに塚本牧師が去った後、様々な教派の牧師が巡回して牧会しました。1990年代にJICAがパラグアイから撤退したとき、教会の土地はJICA所有で宗教団体に寄贈できず、ピラポ市に移譲されました。建物はそれまで通り使用可との約束でしたが、やがて使用が困難になって、23KM地区の旧小学校寄宿舎を借りて礼拝をするようになりました。知花先生が出会われたときには、教会員は数名でしたが、その方々は毎週日曜日に集まって、礼拝説教のテープを聞いていました。
現在の礼拝出席者は5名です。ピラポ移住地は人口移動が少なく、人間関係も固定化しているため、これまで何十年も付き合ってきた人を急に教会に誘うことは大変難しい状況があります。また、日曜日に日本人会の行事があることも多く、つきあいがあるので教会員も参加します。
パラグアイには自由メソジストの日系教会が３つあり、首都アスンシオンの日系自由メソジスト教会がブラジル自由メソジスト教団日系年会パラグアイ支部の法人化手続きをしています。しかしピラポ教会の信徒はブラジルの教会への所属に抵抗感があり、単立のプロテスタント教会として新しい一歩を踏み出そうとしています。そのための法人化手続きが今後の課題です。
また、イグアス移住地にも信徒がおり、信徒の家の離れで礼拝を守っていましたが、10年以上前にこの方が帰国してからは場所もなく、集会もなくなりました。9月から私が行って礼拝を守ることにしました。ピラポからはバスで3時間以上かかるため、昼頃着いて一緒に食事をしてから礼拝を守り、お茶を飲みながら交わりをしました。その晩は宿泊したので夕食も一緒にしました。これから毎月礼拝を守る予定で、クリスマスやイースターにはピラポ教会で一緒に礼拝と聖餐をしたいと願っています。
どうぞ覚えてお祈りください。（江原有輝子）
